By A Correspondent-A Woodlands Resettlement Area near Victoria Falls has survived a savage lion attack over the weekend.

Metrod Tshuma (29) said heard people shouting, dogs barking, and the unmistakable roar of a lion near the village cattle grazing area.

“I heard people shouting and dogs barking. I ran out and heard a lion roaring where our cattle graze, so I ran to meet my colleagues to try and scare it away,” Tshuma recounted.

But before he could act, disaster struck.

“The lion had gone into a thicket close to where I was, with my colleagues behind me. It came from behind and attacked me,” he said.

The lion bit off his thumb and clawed his head and hand, leaving him seriously injured. 

Tshuma managed to push the animal away and crawl to safety, screaming for help until others rushed to his aid.

He was rushed to Victoria Falls Hospital, where he remains admitted and is receiving treatment for deep wounds.

“I thank the Almighty God for protecting me because I could have been killed by that lion,” said Tshuma from his hospital bed.

The same lion is believed to have killed a neighbour’s cow the previous day, and shortly after attacking Tshuma, it went on to maul two donkeys.

Residents in the Woodlands area say they are living in fear, with wild animals frequently invading their communities. 

Over 50 cattle have reportedly been lost to wildlife this year alone.

“I am appealing to the authorities to help us. Some of these lions are even collared. School children walk long distances to school and they are in danger,” said a concerned resident.

The attack on Tshuma underscores a broader problem facing communities on the edge of wildlife conservation areas.

As animal habitats shrink and climate conditions worsen, encounters between humans and wildlife are becoming more frequent—and often deadly.

Local leaders and residents continue to call for urgent intervention by wildlife authorities to ensure community safety while balancing conservation efforts.

-ZBC